Mecha Devourer System

Three more classes followed for the day, after which Everlearn finally had some space to breathe.

And speaking of a place to breathe, he went right to the cafeteria.

Not eating for five days straight had made the worms in his stomach really hungry.

He knew that even after devouring the sixth dish, he still felt starving.

He eventually had to get three more dishes after, and thankfully, that fatty wasn't around to mock him.

While he ate, he also decided to go through his phone.

He already had a pile of notifications, missed calls, and point deductions for missing class.

But he had no regrets at all, not even the fact that he didn't come to class.

All of the students going to class were only comfortable doing so because they thought the world outside was safe.

If they knew cities were being overtaken, they would not be able to sit confidently before a board for hours.

What he was doing now would matter far more in the war than sitting in any classroom.

Even so, he wasn't planning to drop out entirely.

He just didn't regret the points he was losing for not showing up.

Apart from that, there were call notifications.

Most of them came from the number he saved as 'Annoyed.' That must be Rosa.

Four days of never stepping out ought to really send anyone into a frenzy.

The rest, though, came from who he least expected: Boss Ash.

His eyebrows creased at that, but he moved to his messaging app, sending a message first to Rosa.

It was a simple:

{< 19 Missed Calls!? Is something wrong? >}

Then he finished his dishes before stepping out of the cafeteria in the direction of his dorm room.

Midway, he dialed back Boss Ash's number.

Seven seconds, and the call was picked up.

"Hello, Boss Ash," he said.

"Everlearn. I've been calling for three days now," she said, her tone plain and simple as ever.

"I was busy," he replied curtly.

Silence followed for a while, and his fingers moved to the disconnect button when her voice came.

"I just wanted to check if you were okay."

"I am," he replied before his finger clicked the button, severing the connection.

When he did, a pop-up message appeared from 'Annoyed'

{< Waaaaaah. You ask if something is wrong!? That's my line, you donkey! >}

The message eased the heaviness in his chest as he held his phone in both hands, ready to type a reply, when a video call notification popped up.

He picked it up, and there she was, a pink-haired girl buried in a pink bed sheet.

It was about 1:20, so it made sense.

"You donkey. Just what have you been up to?"

"Just Busy..."

"Hold up. Let me guess, you were busy getting your ass out of the grasp of the 2nd years you loved annoying?" she asked, snickering evilly as he rolled his eyes.

"You wish."

"I do. And my wish will be fulfilled sooner or later."

"That'll never happen."

"We'll see." She said with a pout, before her face softened.

"How is the 2nd year going anyway? I heard from a friend that the schedule is tougher."

She asked, curiosity bubbling in her pink eyes.

And he had to nod.

"It's really insane. I'm just getting out of the cafeteria now," he replied.

"Hehehe. Good for you!" she said, giggling happily.

"What did you choose to join, Mech Institute or Core Defense? I know your troublesome donkey head will go for Core Defense."

"You're wrong. I joined the Mech Institute."

"That's impos—" Rosa was saying, but the words halted in her throat as he turned the camera to the lab coat he was wearing.

She was more than familiar with that.

"You… you really went with Mech Institute!?"

Rosa couldn't believe her eyes.

He had really gone to the Mech Institute.

In the Mech Institute, there was zero self-protection class, not to mention anything related to battle, and Everlearn had excelled in just one thing in the Newcomer year:

Fighting.

He was incredibly good at it. All that was needed to become a star in Core defense.

How could he leave all of that and go for Mech Designing?

"I didn't know your donkey head was a nerd too."

"Tch, I'm not a nerd!" he shot back.

"Hehehe. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have made the Mech Institute Class if you had gone in with a proper metric score," she claimed, and he grinned.

"You're still sore from me being promoted, huh?" he asked, watching her face redden.

"I'm not!" she shot back, and Everlearn hmphed, disappointed.

"Getting jealous of your own friend's success… bad friend," he added, as she fell silent, looking away from the phone to the side.

It fell from her hands in the next moment, the phone turning dark as the connection was severed.

"Weird, did I hit a soft spot?" Everlearn mused, but then he watched a message appear.

{< I'm sorry. I just hate the fact that the door closest to mine is now empty. >}

He hummed.

║She's sad you left, and she's the only one in the corridor, in other words, lonely.║

║ Not because you got promoted, you dimwit!║

The system panel flashed, and he clasped his head.

"I never even thought of that."

║ Of course you didn't. You would have been totally fine if she were the one who left the corridor. ║

"How could you?" Everlearn wanted to reply, but then paused.

"You know, on a second thought, I really would have indeed been happy if she were the one left."

Still, he typed back the message:

{<I get it. It can feel pretty lonely without an annoying donkey around to disturb you. Should have called to annoy you sooner. Me sowee>}

The message made Rosa giggle, her hand rising to cover her pinkening face.

To get off the topic, she quickly typed:

{< It's late. 1:32. When is tomorrow's class starting? >}

{< 6:15 >}

{< Tsk, go snore already. Will text later. Byeeeeeeee. >}

Everlearn shook his head before switching off the phone and keeping it in his pocket.

He made his way to the dorm building and soon stepped out of the elevator.

In the corridor, he spotted someone sitting on the railings, staring down at the ground below, where students moved in a crowded stream.

The swinging leg paused, and the hooded figure turned to find him stepping out of the elevator.

"Everat?"